One Year
by Dead Hero
Summary: A single year, is apparently all it takes to break someone. To shatter their mind, body and family in deep intimate ways. And the road to recovery may take a single action, a hundred words, and a thousand steps, a million memories and a whole world to traverse before they can even imagine being okay.
1. Prologue

The old sewer lights blinked at random, illuminating him at different intervals. Pain raced up and down his body and coursed through his veins as he trudged through the runny debris. He wheezed and coughed harshly, bringing his hand to his mouth and drawing it back after feeling stickiness and gazed at it. It was thick crimson blood with black clots that ran down his three fingered hand and further stained his dirty, torn wrist wraps.

_Almost...there..._

He panted. Never in his life had he been so tired. Every muscle screamed at him and his legs shook in agony as he forced his body to take just _one more step_. He stumbled and dropped to his knees, hacking and choking as something forced its way up his throat. A liquid thinner than the previous poured out of his lips, spewing all over the sluggish sewage and the narrow concrete walkways for the workers.

_No, no, no, NO! Not now! Not again!_

He moaned as he wiped blood and unrecognizable, half-digested chunks of bile off his face. He tormented himself as dug his broken fingernails into his skin, trying to use the temporary pain as a distraction from the stomach acid burning his throat. He grasped the strap of his pack tighter and stood shakily. The sharp clang of metal could be heard and a ringing sound resonated through the tunnels as he clawed at the gritty wall.

**_Splish...Splat..._**

He limped unsteadily in the disgusting flux of waste, some clinging to his legs. A half-hearted swat did nothing and he sighed. It wasn't like removing sewage from his person would make the wounds he had accumulated be miraculously fixed. The injuries burned as the infection that had set there grew from the bacteria. The teenager hissed in pain and gritted his teeth.

_God damn it..._

_...Oh, fuck!_

He quickly halted and nearly tripped over his feet and opened the ragged satchel, moving things around as he desperately looked for something. A green hand brushed against the sought after object and he pulled it out and sighed in relief.

_Thank GOD..._

The mutant replaced the item and threw the bag over his shell, knocking against the scarred carapace. The nerves tingled slightly as the rough cloth brushed against the abused area.

He sloshed on, panting as every movement drained him. He licked his lips, grimacing at the metallic taste.

_It'd just be easier to lie down, I could just take a short nap._

He halted suddenly as the the flitted across his mind and blinked in shock at the glorious sounding prospect. Then he shook his dome, now disturbed by the very idea.

_No, I need to get back to my brothers. No matter the cost. I'll fall asleep and never open my eyes again. I HAVE to get back. Even... even if they don't want me._

Minutes passed as the turtle slogged through the sewers, searching for his home. It was nearby, he could feel it in his shell.

_So close... where's the door?... ah, they moved the lever... probably didn't want me to find the lair again...damnit.._

He pawed weakly at the concrete wall, blindly feeling for trigger that his _brothers _must have moved from its usual spot as a disguised busted pipe. He felt the hidden, metal door slide away as he found the lever and pulled down, activating the electric door.

**_Click_**_..._**_Hisssss_****...****_Shiiiiiiink_**_..._

The concrete rushed to meet his face as the door he had leaned on opened all the way and dropped him on the floor. It sent a spike of pain through his head and added to his perpetual headache. The new, bright, shining lights of the lair contrasted greatly to the ones of the sewer and other lights he had come across and blinded him momentarily as his eyes struggled to adjust. "Uurngh..." He groaned in pain as his bag made a cacophony and drew attention.

_"...!" "Holy shell!" "Quick, get him on the couch."_

Footsteps slapped loudly against the floor, their owners' disregarding years of stealth training in favor of collecting their fallen sibling. He felt multiple hands gathering under his limbs and hoisting him in the air. He shivered as a slight breeze flowed around him as he was carried swiftly to the couch. A huge light hooked to the ceiling was straight above him, so he screwed his eyes shut, closing his eyelids tightly.

_"NO!"_

A sharp slap to his bruised cheek made his head whip and eyes snap back open, glaring at the offender. They glared back.

_"You have to stay awake!"_

_But he was tired!_

No matter how many times he was shook from the brink, he kept letting his eyelids fall as if heavy weights were attached to them, weighing them down.

_..."My sons... ...a...?!"_

_"Master Splinter! Help!..."_

He smiled grimly and stared into the wide eyes of his brothers and sensei, all with fear and concern burning in their eyes. He saw their eyes widen with fear when blood spilled out of his mouth and besmirched his teeth as he gave a weak laugh.

"Nice to see you, brothers..."

He saw them freeze and become distracted by his last fading word. He felt himself teetering on the edge of consciousness as his hold slipped. He saw them shouting and frantically moving around and grinned.

_Now I can sleep._

So he let go.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

_Soft._

That was the first thing He was aware of when he woke up. Weary eyes looked around the room, spotting dusty medical equipment, color coded cots, a coffeemaker and a sink. Ah, the infirmary. The mutant rolled on his side, fingering the white cotton sheets, and pressed his head against the pillow, fighting the urge to throw them in the trash and to lay on the concrete floor, unaccustomed to luxury of a pallet and bedding. He sighed and decided to ignore the wanting, knowing his brothers and father would throw a fit if he did so. He licked his dry, cracked lips and bit them.

_Water._

He looked closer and spotted a plastic bottle of water on the night stand. A small groan released itself from his lips as his shoulder gave a quick shriek of pain as he extended it too far. The turtle wiggled himself up on the cot and leaned over and just barely snagged the bottle. He attempted to unscrew the lid, but he lacked the strength to do so. He growled and smashed the polyethylene container against the edge of the wooden bedside table. Water trickled out of a crack and He grinned at the small victory. The mutant placed his beak around the unnatural opening and sucked water through it as hard as he could. Cool liquid ran down his parched throat and He pulled the plastic bottle back and sighed with happiness as droplets of water pearled and dripped down his scarred plastron.

The door on the far side of the room opened and before it was fully accessible for walking, words poured through.

"Let's see: make sure Sensei gets his meds- check. Check up on... you're up!"

He smirked as Donnie rushed to his side, his clipboard of carefully organized and compiled notes dropping to the floor, sending sheets of paper through the air. "Are you okay? What hurts the most? God, it's good to see you again- you shouldn't be over reaching yourself this soon!" The shelled mutant internally rolled his eyes as his brother struggled to stay in 'Doctor Mode'.

Minutes passed with no response, no acknowledgment of being heard.

"Good... to see.. you too...Donatello," He rasped out, causing Donnie's eyes to light up. He coughed and Don traded joy for worry. "Oh gosh, sorry, let me get you some water! Huh, there was a water bottle here a second ago..." Don trailed off as he saw his brother already sucking down the sought after object, just the wrong way.

"Why are you doing it like that?" The healthy turtle inquired his patient. The patient sighed and gestured to the lid and then to the small hole he had made and returned to his drinking. "Ahh," Donnie reached down and grabbed his clipboard and jotted it down.

"Soooo, how do you feel?"

He snorted at the question and nodded to the numerous bandages and lacerations that covered his body.

"Okay, what hurts the most?"

He shrugged.

Donnie frowned, that wasn't good. He jotted it down with his pen and looked over the top of his papers and saw his blank face. "Uh, you okay bro?"

A nod.

His eyebrows rose at the inaudible answer, but he continued his questions.

"Hav-" Donnie was cut of as He gave a gut deep, lung rattling cough, hacking and gasping for breath. "Oh god! Bro, let me help-" Donatello's efforts were waved off as a He placed his other hand on his nostrils and plugged them, forcing himself to breathe through his mouth. After a few seconds the coughs settled and He gave a nod, motioning for his _ani _to go on. Don shook his head. "I think'd be better if we continued on a different day."

He nodded and then lifted the water bottle, sucking down the remains of its contents. Donnie took the plastic bottle and retreated, but not before he took the sheets bunched by his brother's feet and draped them over the weary turtle.

"Goodnight brother," Donnie whispered as he flicked the light switch off and softly closed the door, blanketing the room in shadows.

* * *

><p><em>"You <strong>stupid <strong>monster!" _

_He gave a concealed grin at his master's frustration and blinked some blood out of his eyes.  
><em>

_"How can even a **mutant **__screw it up?"_

_A sharp slap to his face punched holes and made a deep cut into his face as the sharp, thick needled ring added to his agony as it was dragged around his scarred head._

* * *

><p><em>"Hey!"<em>

_"Oh god, is he okay Don?"_

_"He's having a nightmare, you dumbass, he'll fine."_

_"Dumbass?"_

_"Hey guys! I think he's waking up!"_

* * *

><p>He saw blurs of varying shades of green and brown-ish gray and a soft maroon. Strange, alien sounds came from the entities and he grimaced as it grated against his eardrums. The colors swirled around his vision and he groaned and almost batted at them, but his survival instincts held him back. What if they meant no harm? Or maybe they were waiting for the right moment to strike.<p>

Either way, he closed his eyes and deepened his breath as to fool the colors that he was asleep. He thought of laying on some sandy beach and see-through blue waves of calm washing over him and he felt his tight face loosen and relax. The sounds faded to nothing more than a faint echo and the turtle relaxed, face twisting up again as he felt that his muscles had become sore from being tense for so long.

He counted the seconds, and the minutes, and then the hours until He was sure he could open his eyes. Nothing happened, so he went a step further. He tilted his head upward and took a long, very deep breath. His ribs rattled and his lungs ached when he exhaled, but he gave a happy sigh. It had been a while since he had been able to do that.

**_Thap, thwap, thap._**

_Footsteps!_

He quickly snapped his eyes shut and forced his straining muscles to fall slack. The _kame_ once again thought of his dear ocean, but soon felt his heartbeat rising as a voice pierced through his illusion. The image began to fall apart and he heard another voice, one more familiar, but still one to be wary of.

"_Hand me that sedative!_"

The mutant became thankful that his unlucky stars changed their tune for once, because seconds after those words a soft, recognizable feeling, a prick, puckered his leathery skin and he fell deep into a real sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

This time, a voice brought him out of his slumber.

"-God, I just hope your okay. I know we've had our differences in the past, our opinions not always lining up, but...damn it, _**outouto**_. Please come back..." The soft, broken voice trailed off in a way that screamed relief along with anxiety and self guilt.

_Leonardo._

"-I know I've not always been the most...understanding towards you, but I swear on my honor, I'll fix that."

_Aw, Leo..._

"Remember that time, when we went topside right after your birthday? You were so excited and manipulated me into going with you."

He could almost hear Leo's smile.

"And we ran into the street as soon as we were out of the alley and almost got squashed by that eight wheeler, and the driver swore at us. I think that was the first time I heard someone say 'fuck' five times in one sentence... yeah, that was fun."

Leo's hand gave a tight squeeze and he winced as it squished his tender hand.

"Ngh!"

The hand withdrew as if struck by lightning and a tentative voice came from his right, "Bro?"

He cracked open his eyes and gave a tiny, barely noticeable nod and arms were swung around his shell and held tight. The two mutants stayed like that for what felt like hours and finally the embrace loosened and fell.

The injured brother kept the pain off his face, but inside he was screaming.

_AHHHHH! JESUS SHITTING HELL THAT HURT! ARGH!_

After a few minutes, Leo spoke up, interrupting his internal cries. "Are you, okay? I din't hurt you, did I?"

He gave a diminutive smirk, "I'm...fine, bro." He gave a thumbs-up and hoped to god that Leo didn't see that his hand was trembling with effort and that his voice had been strained.

"Christ, you're shaking! Here, let me get you a blanket," He cursed at himself as he saw Leo shuffle over to a wicker basket in the corner filled with each mutant's personal medical bay blanket -color coded to avoid arguing between the turtles, pick one up and bring over to him. He grasped the blanket tight and looked up at his older brother, confused. This wasn't his color, this was a dark indigo blanket.

Leo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. I had to give you mine because we kind of have yours packed away because we thought you were dead. Sorry, too many memories."

He shrugged and buried his beak in the soft, blue blanket and inhaled deeply. It smelled like Leo- lotus flowers, unscented candles, and sword polish. The mutant gave a small, happy sigh and carefully laid back, turning over to lay on his plastron, mindful of his various injuries. He leaned backward and carefully drew the comforter around him carefully, as to avoid his copious injuries.

He closed his eyes and snuggled in and was on the verge of falling asleep, when he heard Leo shuffling his feet. He rolled his eyes and sat back up, wincing at the sudden movement. Leo's eyes widened in shock and he started forward to help his younger brother, but was waved off with a growl.

"What...the hell...do ya want, Leo?" He rasped out, and damn it, his throat felt like it was going to burst.

"Uh..." Leo seemed unsure and He snorted and nodded his head towards the door.

"'Less ya... need...somethin', fuck off."

Leo's blue eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull in shock, but then he relaxed and simply leaned over and placed a ginger kiss on the bandages wrapping around his head. He scowled, screwing up his eyes for but a second, and when he opened them Leo was gone. He snarled and bit the inside of his mouth.

_How the hell does he do that?_

...

...

...

...

He shivered. Damnit he was cold. Whatever, the chilly air was preferable scorching deserts. God, he hated deserts.

_I wonder if Leo's ever been to a desert. If he crossed one on his journey to the Ancient One. Hmph, guess I'll ask next time he comes around._

**Tiiiiiick tooooock. Tiiiiiick tooooock. Tiii- **A stiletto impaled Donnie's 'Dead Geniuses' clock that hung above his desk. A few sparks flew off and he smirked with a certain degree of satisfaction that you only get after you've destroyed the enemy. The mutant flexed his hand and his face contorted into a horrific grimace. Shit, his throwing hand was damaged. Crap.

He started rubbing his hand with concern. If his hand didn't get better than he was screwed. Maybe he could borrow acupuncture needles from Sensei after he moved out of the god forsaken medical bay. Even then, he'd give it a few months to let him try to heal it by himself. He gently moved his injured arm off the sheets and onto his plastron in a way for then he could massage his injured hand without sparks of pain shooting up his arm.

"Aaaahhhhhh..." He sighed in relief as his brain started to perceive the gentle ministrations and gave him relief. Minutes went by and he just kept rubbing his hand, zoning out into a blank mind set that gave him sweet pleasure. A jarring cacophony sounded from the door and the mutant was on his feet, keeping most of the tension in his hips to try to give his injured feet some rest. He held his hands up and went for his nunchaku, eyes widening in horror as he fingered empty air.

He quickly looked around and spied a scalpel soaking in a cup of antibacterial liquid and grabbed the cup. When the attacker came in, he could throw the disinfectant into their eyes and assault it with the scalpel and run, fast and far away. As he saw the steel door knob turn he froze, almost slapping himself at his stupidity. The turtle quickly ran behind the cot and crouched as low to the floor as he could, biting his inside of his cheek hard as not to scream as his wounds were jolted and stretched.

Someone yelled and the knob paused, he tensed and shifted his grip on his scalpel. The grey concrete he was kneeling on turned into a wooden floor, the bed into shipping crates with something crying and groaning in pain inside of them, the whole medical bay into a rickety warehouse. The smell of Irish Cream coffee and Clorox wipes changed into a rank fishy stench permeated by blood. The somewhat familiar voices yelling were twisted and deepened into deep, grating, accented voices chuckling and cheering and moaning in delight. Before he knew it, he was back in the docks of Russia. His scalpel lengthened and became a futuristic bayonet gun- an AK-47 with a machete attached.

He blinked and suddenly a short, burly man in green yelling at him barged through the door that separated the loading bay and offices. The scarred turtle blinked in shock. This wasn't how it happened. He shook his head and stood, furrowing his brows at the man in green, confused on why he wasn't attacking him or at least surprised that a five foot turtle with a weapon was in the bay. No matter.

He climbed on one of the crates and made a soothing sound to the creature inside.

_It'll be okay_, he silently promised the being and glared at the European.

"Вы будете платить за ваши грехи ! Было предопределено мастеров , что вы , ваше племя и город будет платить!" He shouted the man's face became confused. Why didn't he understand? The man in green should understand! The weaponized reptile growled and jumped toward the man, holding the gun in an icepick hold so then the human would be stabbed. He'd just have to make him understand!

Midway through the jump, everything flickered and suddenly he was coming down hard on his brother with a scalpel, the medical tool aimed for big, tired eyes looking at him in... fear? He quickly swung his arm out, spinning away from the turtle and landed on a pile of broken medical equipment.

He screeched as metal jabbed into him and then smiled as he reasoned that the pain was punishment for attempting fratricide. Frantic words spilled into his ears as someone tried to dig him out. "Leave me aloooooone," he groaned and pushed away the calloused hands that gently pulled him out from the pile of junk.

"Damn it, bro. Stop pulling this crap! Now shaddup and let's get you fixed up," an accented voice came from over his left shoulder as he was dragged on to the bed. "Sorry," he mumbled and looked down at his re-bandaged arm and stiffened as butterfly bandages were skillfully placed on his forehead.

As the clock ticked by, the only sound that could be heard was the two brothers breathing. After he was bandaged, the standing ninja sat down next to him.

"Sooooooo... you going to tell me what that was all about?"

_No ya dipshit. I am NOT going to tell you._

"That was some serious stuff. Anything wrong?"

_Noooooooo. No, no, no, no, NO! Jesus fuck, no!_

"You ain't gonna talk? Whatever, I'll come later with some food that Donnie approves of."

The bed creaked and groaned as the his brother stood, cracked his fingers and left the room. He noticed that the door was left open and he smiled and called out in a hoarse, rasping voice,

_"Thanks, Raph!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the late update. The last brother has been shown and you can figure out from here who the injured turtle is. <strong>

**TBC**


End file.
